The Rehabilitation Service at St Wilfrid's Hospice consists of Specialist Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, and an Assistant support. Our role is to maximise an individual's potential.
We use physical and psychological approaches to help promote, maintain and restore physical, psychological and social wellbeing.
We work on the ward, in the day hospice, community as well as offering an out-patient service at the Hospice.
Our role also involves educating, encouraging and supporting carers as well as other members of staff - to ensure that our advice and treatments offered are understood and achieved.
As a team we liaise closely with all the hospice staff, as well as with NHS and Voluntary sector - enabling us to ensure a prompt and appropriate response to both patient and carers.
Examples of where Physiotherapy may be able to help...
To prevent and treat breathing difficulties
- To help patients with muscular weakness or paralysis to gain movement
- To assist with problems of balance and coordination
- To provide equipment such as sticks and crutches to help with walking
- To maintain and improve physical fitness during and after chemotherapy
- To help control certain types of pain sometimes using special electrical therapy equipment
- To prevent stiffness following radiotherapy
Examples of where Occupational Therapy may be able to help...
Assessment of home environment to maximise safety
- To offer manual handling assessment, training and equipment
- To provide advice and equipment promoting safety and independence in Activities of Daily Living i.e. washing, dressing, toileting, bathing, kitchen & domestic tasks
- To encourage leisure activities
- To assess wheelchair & pressure cushion needs
- To give advice about conserving energy, and lifestyle management to reduce fatigue levels
- To offer relaxation training and techniques to assist with breathlessness and managing stress
- To individually make splints to reduce pain and deformity
